March 21st, 2006
Tel Aviv - shopping and the Mediterranean!

No pics today, it was my day off, my day to shop! Israel pants fit me like a glove! I can never find any in America. Our hotel balcony is ever so nicely perched above the Mediterranean. Tomorrow is another shopping day - and then onto Bangkok! I have a 5 hour flight to Paris - the 12 more hours in the air en route to Bangkok. And then I get to see my boyfriend again!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!

Here is a panorama picture I took out my balcony. Maybe a better picture tomorrow - but I can't imagine having the motivation for that when there is shopping and flying to do! BTW - this hotel has the BEST continental breakfast - and I get to stare out at the Med all the while.
March 20th, 2006
Happy Birthday Jason! / Palestinian Political Tour

It was Jason's birthday today - Happy 28th! I had told my brother an dmother how important I felt it was to come to the Middle East and see Palestine as well as Israel - we booked a tour with the same Arab Journalist I had went around with twice when I lived here. My brother is more sympathetic towards the Palestinians, feeling a bit perhaps like the have been treated similary to the Jews in history. My mother is rabidly pro Israel - believing that largely the Palestinians did this to themselves and are getting what they deserved for their actions. I am somewhere in the middle, believing no one should livein those conditions. I believe it is silly to pick a side, to call right or wrong, winner or loser. It is entirely too broad a view to change individual's living situation. Information I learned on the tour is included in the photo captions. It is information I recieved from my Arab tour guide, I have not cross ref'd it.

March 19th, 2006
The Dome of the Rock / Old City

Today Jason and I were totally zoned after waking up for theday about 4 am. We had planned a full day of touring, but instead hada busy morning and slept all afternoon.

We had dinner with my cousin - which unfortunatley yieled a rather unpleasant conversation about Judaism, supporting Israel, learning about Israel, Palestine, the dangers in visiting the W. Bank...I entirely HATE these discussions, and no one ever so much as keeps an open mind through them. They are a waste of time, and I hope I never have to hear another one. I am so sick of racism, reverse racism and closed uncompromising minds yelling at each other claiming to be accepting. I will say, ONCE again what I always say, that it is so ridiculously silly to hate an entire race of people - especially because it is all just a lottery, and a Palestinian could have just as easily been born in Israel of the US or Norway. Its all chance.No child asks to be brought up in a violent society.

We are still not sleeping, and I am slowly losing sanity.

March 18th, 2006
Baruchim Habayim L'Yerushalayim
Welcome to Israel

Arrived in Israel! Yay! Superb to be back! However, Czech Air is so totally un-Red-Eye friendly! Small seats, horrendous food - rude counter reps - Which is such a departure (hahah departure, airline jokes!) from the overwhelming hospitality at the 4 seasons. I love it when mother pays people to be nice to me.

We arrived B'Yisrael on the Sabbath, at about 6 am - and since none of us had slept properly, in a few days - we had high hopes of being able to check in before the schedules time of 5 pm that evening. Even though there isn't any check in on Sabbath, they let us anyhoo. Cha-ching!

The hotel had a peculiar aroma about it, but was swaky elsewise - especially when countering in the ridiculously lavish break-fast. In the evening, they were sure to knock on our door with fresh fruit and chocolate. I'll have to work on getting my man back home to adopt some of these habits so I am not culure shocked upon homecoming.

I must say however, Israelis, even in the most hoity toity, richest hotel in Jerusalem ARE SO DANG RUDE. The counter gentleman and dining staff for lunch were well versed in all things discourteous. Is my mother NOT paying for my darling little buns to be kissed? How many sheckels do I need to pay for a little nicey-nice! Oh Israel, such a little country of tough love.

We went to the Kotel / Wailing Wall / Western Wall at the end of the Sabbath - and perused the Old City (my favorite hebrew words - "ir atica" - means old city, but said quickly, is IRATICA, erotica.") Thank you goodnight.

Apres holy business, Jason and I set off with my old friends for Ben Yehuda and proceeded to get intoxicated. Such a small world, walking through the street I actually saw someone I knew from my brief time at Hebrew U. I recognized almost everyone that came out in the group - everyone that saw me said "Hey - aren't you that girl that left?"

Such a name for myself I've made! (Quitter)

It was great to be back, and be out with everyone - Being here and being out with friends last night has made me really miss living here - but then realized that life just wasn't really like that when I lived here, although I suppose it could have been. It is best as is I suppose, though I was jealous to see the friends I started Hebrew with now at the end of the spectrum and fluent. Seattle has more to offer me in the day-to-day.

Interestingly, drinking at the bar, I asked the table if anyone knew Alana Siegel, my cousin living here - 5 minutes later, I was speaking with her on the phone! Such a small world! What a fun night!